Paisley Scrap Birthday

Back in the fall, I was experimenting with inking the Texturz Plates for my Big Shot. The results were pretty fun. So, I was pleased to find this scrap of textured Very Vanilla inked with Chocolate Chip. It reminded me a lot of the retired Wanted stamp set. So, I set to work creating a masculine birthday card. I distressed all the edges of my Always Artichoke layer to give the card a bit of a weathered look. The same trick really didn't work with the strip of Artichoke though (another one of those little 1/2" left overs). Instead I used the faux suede technique instead to make it nice and fuzzy. The Chocolate on Vanilla wasn't quite enough, but all of my circle punches were a bit too big. I was stuck until I remembered that the new Cupcake Punch makes tiny circles too. So I used it to create the Cherry Cobbler accents. My little circle with the sentiment felt a bit empty. I already had my distressing tool out and I decided to give another tool on that chain a try. It's a bit hard to see in the photo, but I perforated a line right above and right below the sentiment to help it stand out. It's the first time I've used that tool & I found it to be pretty handy! Finally I added a brad to fill up a bit more of my Vanilla circle. I find it hard to come up with "manly" cards, so I was pleased when this one surfaced from the scraps!